The Rapoo E6300 is an ultra portable Bluetooth keyboard for smartphones and tablets. The iOS-specific function keys make this portable keyboard an ideal typing solution for iOS-based devices such as an iPad or iPhone, even though the wireless keyboard works with any device that supports Bluetooth input profile. The Rapoo E6300 keyboard comes in two color options: black and white.

Design

The Rapoo E6300 BT Ultra-slim Keyboard for iPad is attractive bordering on stunning looking. The keyboard measures 8.0 x 3.2 x 0.5 inches and weighs 5.6 ounces. The incredibly small form gives this keyboard the ultra portability and the brushed metal frame gives it the durability that can withstand daily use and transport in your bag or travel case. The keyboard tray that houses the keys has no bezel or LED for indicating Caps Lock status, and the small keyboard doesn't have backlighting.

On the bottom, the Rapoo E6300 has a plastic block that houses the chip, battery and LED lights, and it also raises the back of the keyboard to give you a better angle for typing. You'll find a power on/off slider, Bluetooth Connect button and two LEDs (one indicating Bluetooth status and the other battery status) on the bottom block. There are also two small rubber feet to prevent skidding. The Rapoo E6300 comes in either black keys on the brushed metal frame or white keys.

Bluetooth

The Rapoo E6300 has built-in Bluetooth and can work with any device that supports Bluetooth input profile. It can pair with multiple devices but can only work with one at a time. The keyboard remembers the last pairing partner after sleep or power off, and it automatically reconnects when you hit a key on the keyboard. We tested the Rapoo E6300 with the iPad Air and iPhone 5s, it paired with both quickly and worked smoothly with either one.

Keyboard

The Rapoo E6300 keyboard has the standard 80-key layout with full sized alpha-numeric keys. The key size and spacing actually feel quite natural on such a small keyboard body, and you don't feel like you have to cramp all your fingers in to land your fingertips on the right keys. That's not to say that you don't need to make any sacrifice. The right Shift key is small and hard to find when you touch type, and the Spacebar is just off the center enough that your right thumb will not land on it naturally. This means you'll need to use your left thumb to hit the Spacebar after each word. The Rapoo E6300 has all the menu keys such as Ctrl, Option/Alt and two Command keys as well as four directional keys. The keyboard also offers 15 iOS hotkeys that launch Home screen, search, copy, paste and media control keys. These hotkeys worked on both iPad and iPhone in our tests.

The keys on the Rapoo E6300 keyboard have brushed surface so that they're not too slippery when you're typing on them. The X-style keys have good travel for a keyboard that's so slim and the keys offer some audio feedback. The keyboard comes with a built-in Lithium rechargeable battery and a USB charging cable. The keyboard takes about 2 hours to fully charge and has combined standby and usage time of one month on a full charge.

Conclusion

If you're looking for a small and light keyboard for your smartphone and tablet, the Rapoo E6300 Bluetooth keyboard is attractive, sturdy and very slim and light. The keyboard has good-sized keys and special hotkeys for iOS devices. We liked the standard key size and spacing, the nice travel on the keyboard and the standard layout. You should be able to get used to the adjustments of the key layout and positions on such a small keyboard, all but one that proved to be annoying in our tests - you can't easily use the Spacebar with your right thumb.